The world's ugliest animal is officially the....

The World's Ugliest Animal

The Ugly Animal Preservation Society, a set of comedians, has a new mascot thanks to a YouTube poll. A video campaign essentially raised awareness for "painfully ugly animals" and consisted of comedians making the case for and jokes about many uncute creatures. The five ugliest?

5

Proboscis monkey

It uses its nose as a resonating chamber for loud mating calls. Its diet of unripe fruit makes it gassy and lends it a round appearance. Or as Ellie Taylor lobbied: "They’ve got massive noses, really ugly willies, and they’re full of farts. I mean come on, that thing needs our help!”

4

Titicaca water frog

It has folds in its skin that let it breathe underwater in Lake Titicaca in South America. Its Latin name translates as "aquatic scrotum." Iszi Lawrence's argument? “Scrotum frog, you heard me right, scrotum frog. Even better than being called scrotum frog, it lives in Lake Titicaca!"

3

Axolotl

Axolotls are aquatic salamanders that can regenerate lost limbs and live in Mexico. Helen Arney quipped: “Beauty is only skin deep, and the axolotl has a dark secret.... It never truly grows up, it’s like Peter Pan, Justin Bieber, or any character Zooey Deschanel ever plays in a film…”

2

Kakapo

The kakapo is the world's heaviest — and only flightless — parrot. Explains Steve Mould: “New Zealand is full of predatory mammals, but the kakapo hasn’t evolved a fear response. Often its response is curiosity – ‘who’s this?’ the kakapo would say – ‘oh, I’m in its mouth…’”

1

Blobfish

Blobfish grow to be a foot long and live at depths of 1,200 meters where the pressure is much higher than sea level. Paul Foot's pitch? "Some would describe it as a bit ugly, but I think the sad face of the blobfish belies a kind and very wise little brain in there.” For more information about the contest and animals, visit the British Science Association.